Civil Blood Makes Civil Hand Unclean
by Midnight Write
Summary: A retelling of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The Taizens and Uzumakis have always had a hatred that ran deep and pure. But when will it end? What will have to occur for the two families to finally make peace? NarutoOC
1. Characters

**Civil Blood Makes Civil Hands Unclean **

**A retelling of Shakespeare's **_**Romeo and Juliet**_

Characters:

Romeo Montague: Naruto Uzumaki

Juliet Capulet: Hitomi Taizen

Benvolio: Shikamaru Nara

Mercutio: Kiba Inuzuka

Tybalt: Gaara No Sabaku

Nurse: Kurenai Yuhi

Friar Lawrence: Kakashi Hatake

Prince: Lady Hokage Tsunade

Paris: Neji Hyuga

Rosaline: Sakura Haruno


	2. Act I

**Act I:**

**I all of a sudden had this inspiration to write this! **

**Anywho, the plot line will be similar but I will add my own differences. It will only consist of 5 acts.**

**Please let me know how you like it because some of this is somewhat Shakespearean some of it a bit less than that.**

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Naruto Uzumaki believed this to be one of the worst weeks of his young life.

Fate had dealt him an unfavorable hand while Luck remained to have a grudge against him. His relationship with Sakura, a beautiful and bright kunoichi, had ended abruptly when she had decided to accept the life of a medic apprentice and start anew, leaving in her path a heartbroken Uzumaki. A great depression then embraced the young shinobi wholly; for days, he had spent his entire nights training alone and spent his days in his bedroom, dwelling in dark isolation.

And this isolation was where he dwelt currently.

The windows and doors of Naruto's apartment were all locked, The ANBU wishing to protect his tedious artificial night from the searching rays of sunlight. To Naruto's eyes, it appeared that night had truly arrived and the sun had candidly fallen below the horizon.

But his wearied muscles and harsh breathing told him otherwise and that the sun had only just returned to once again warm the earth. Closing his eyes, Naruto exhaled heavily, his sigh laced with woe and remorse.

"Naruto!"

The blonde reopened his eyes at the sound of his cousin's voice, the sudden outburst shocking him out of a semi-conscious trance. In a matter of seconds, Naruto's feigned night was broken as his kin entered his room with little warning.

"What is it Shikamaru?" Naruto exhaled, pushing himself off his bed and brushing past his cousin swiftly, his azure eyes glued to the floor as he exited the Uzumaki home with Shikamaru just behind him.

Examining the streets that were unusually quiet, Naruto sighed again, his breath heavily laden with discontent.

"What bothers you Naruto?" Shikamaru questioned. Naruto shook his head in response, blonde locks following the movement, as his tongue remained a prisoner behind his teeth. The two kin strolled in silence as Naruto's eyes caught small signs of events that had happened only some time ago. The Uzumaki finally released a worry burning in his mind.

"Was there another fight today?" Naruto asked, finally breaking his silence. Now it was Shikamaru who bowed his head as if shameful of the act of violence.

The usually tranquil streets of Konoha held much tension lately; quarrels breaking out more often between Uzumakis and Taizens. In effect, more strain had been placed on the hateful relationship between the two feuding families; a deep hate that ran strong as a swift river and had started many years before Naruto had been born.

"Aye, there was. And Tsunade has been pushed beyond her limits. She decreed that if any more blood were spilt by either family, the convicted would be stripped of their ranks and be placed in probation."

Naruto sighed again his hands finding residence in his pockets as he attempted to put distance between himself and Shikamaru.

"What has you so very upset Cousin?" Shikamaru pressed Naruto for reasons about his state of depression only to receive more sighs.

"It's love," Naruto confessed.

"I heard you were in that very condition."

"Not in it; now broke because of it," Naruto replied, his eyes stinging with sadness. Shaking his head, Shikamaru comforted his kin and long time friend as best he could; never being in love himself made that task all the more difficult.

"Just forget that troublesome woman; if she doesn't see what a great catch you are then just forget her."

"That's it!" Naruto exclaimed, "I can't just forget her Shikamaru! I love her! Asking me to forget her would be like asking me not to breathe; I cannot do it!" Clapping a hand over Naruto's shoulder, Shikamaru shook his head at the cause for his cousin's woe.

"Join us all at the festival tonight, Naruto; there you can meet enough troublesome beauties to make Sakura seem like a coal among diamonds." Naruto ripped his shoulder from Shikamaru's grip in disgust, continuing on aimlessly through the Konoha streets. "Your Sakura is also coming to the party," Shikamaru added as he followed Naruto, "If you see her there and compare her to other kunoichi, you will get it through your thick skull that she is no more beautiful than any of the others."

Naruto again sent his cousin a dark glower, irritation blending with his anguish seamlessly because Shikamaru refused to be sympathetic and simply let him be.

"You have never felt love as I have; you do not know how difficult it is to heal the wounds of lost love. Besides, the festival you are planning to go to is a Taizen festival; they will never let either of us enter," Naruto reasoned, shoving his hands deeper into his pockets. Shikamaru just chuckled, finding his kin's reasons for not wishing to attend silly and desperate.

"You obviously don't know Kiba as well as you think," Shikamaru negated, "He already attained invites and masks." Sighing—this time in defeat—Naruto cursed Kiba under his breath.

"Fine, I'll come," the smirk that split across Shikamaru's face only caused Naruto to regret agreeing even more, "but, I will only be there to see Sakura, no one else." With that, Naruto leapt onto the nearest roof and disappeared from Shikamaru's sight.

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Hitomi stared at her twin in the mirror, her sensei loquaciously helping her prepare for the festival.

"Oh Hitomi! Aren't you just so excited for the festival? And to think! That handsome Neji Hyuga is interested in your hand in marriage!" Kurenai gushed, her crimson eyes twinkling with excitement. Smiling at Kurenai, Hitomi was reminded of the earlier conversation with her mother over the Hyuga's infatuation with Hitomi; said kunoichi didn't particularly care for all of this business with Neji nor did she understand all the hype of the young heir.

"It should be a night of much fun and laughter!" Hitomi replied, leaning in closer to Kurenai, "I even herd Father mention that fireworks would be lighting the night sky later on!" Brushing a few stray ebony locks out of her face, Hitomi glanced at the reflection of her bedroom door as it was cracked open. Leaning on the doorway was her crimson haired cousin.

"Are you prepared to depart for the festival Hitomi?" Gaara asked as he took a few paces into the room; a black mask adorned her kin's eyes below scarlet locks. Swiveling about to face him, Hitomi stood from her chair, the skirts of her ivory gown billowing about her knees. A pair of feathery wings were placed upon her shoulders, feathers dripping like heated candle wax down her back. Kurenai stood as well, reaching for the two masks on the bureau; one alabaster to match Hitomi's dress, the other black to match her own.

Gaara stood at the door patiently, his arm extended gentlemanly to escort Hitomi to the festival grounds.

"Thank you Gaara," Hitomi said courteously, her arm encircling Gaara's as her palm rested lightly on his forearm, "We are ready."

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Naruto sighed, the armor and mask that disguised his features seeming to weigh much less than his distant thoughts. A hearty clap on his metal-clad shoulder brought Naruto back to reality where laughter flitted about him like a frantic butterfly and flames atop torches created eerie shadows in the street.

"Naruto! You are much to quiet," the masked Kiba chuckled, "The silence does not suit you well. This is a festival! Drink, dance! Do whatever it takes to ease your troubled mind; just be happy!" Naruto spared his friend an irate glance as the blonde's chainmail and iron armor clashed with light clinks.

"No amount of drink or dance can ease what troubles me; not a thing in this world beyond what has caused the initial damage can heal the wounds my love has caused," Naruto consciously paused, his eyelids falling over his sight, "Maybe I should just return home before I cause myself more agony by seeing Sakura."

Kiba rolled his eyes at his blonde companion's melodramatic attitude, Kiba's arm linking with Naruto's at Kiba will.

"You truly are an idiot Naruto! There are so many women who would pay for just one night with you!" Kiba exclaimed, "And tonight is not about that priss Sakura. This night is about joining wild festivities and drinking until we can no long walk a straight line!"

A cheer of agreement erupted from the group as they arrived at the gates. Withdrawing a piece of paper form his holster, Kiba led the group into the festival grounds where paper lanterns lit the night and people rushed about in brightly colored costumes.

As soon as he was released, Naruto shrunk into the wall, wishing himself to be a brick contained in the fortification.

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Gaara's grip on Hitomi was overly sturdy as she attempted to become independent of him; it did not take her much thought before she realized that he was leading her to Neji, most likely by her mother's bidding.

As they stopped before the Hyuga, he bowed politely, taking Hitomi's hand from Gaara's arm and kissing it lightly.

"It is an honor to finally meet you in person, Hitomi," Neji greeted, his lips brushing the back of Hitomi's hand again as Hitomi curtsied, using her free hand to lift her skirts.

"And an honor to meet you as well Neji," Hitomi replied, her voice blank and light as she kept her manners intact. Neji offered his hand to Hitomi, a silent request for her permission to dance which she reluctantly accepted by placing her hand in his. Neji's palm was cold about Hitomi's hand, his fingers as cold as the icy night wind. Leading her through the throng of spinning couples, Hitomi held her emotional façade unmovable as she and Neji swayed; but behind the fascia, she already detested Neji's possessively tight grip on her waist and hand as if the decision of their marriage had already been decided.

Naruto watched the content dancers through brooding eyes, wishing he could instead be training in the midnight darkness. This darkness was where he could preoccupy and distract his mind, of only for a short while.

Wishing to be out of Neji's arms, Hitomi feigned weariness as an escape route to disappear into the crowd. As she left Neji, other women who had been eyeing Hitomi curiously flocked about the Hyuga like a flock of squawking crows. Everyone, with the exception of one lonesome shinobi, had been sucked into the whirlwind of dancing.

Hitomi leaned against the chilled stone, her false wings pressing into her shoulders shallowly. Exhaling a sig she had been holding in for some time now, Hitomi just scarcely noticed the shinobi only feet away from her.

Although Naruto's attention was very much introverted at the moment, movement to his left caught a bit of his attention as a young kunoichi leaned against the same wall he had been for the entire night.

"Excuse me," Hitomi asked, breaking the silence as she glancing over at the blonde shinobi, "What is your name? I do not remember ever meeting you before."

Naruto's attention was then fully dragged back to reality by the voice next to him; the voice was light and melodious, as if the pitch was music itself. Naruto finally rested his vision on the origin of the voice: a kunoichi adorned in the ivory dress and wings of an angel. The kunoichi grinned, her frost eyes shining with that smile below the pale mask.

It was an odd occurrence, what happened then, because the dark veil that had weighted and saddened Naruto's thoughts constantly was lifted; a new dawn rising and clearing Naruto's mind of his troubles.

Naruto's tongue was caught, his words fumbled from his brain to his mouth as he grinned back at the ebony haired kunoichi. Hitomi's ice blue eyes met with Naruto's cerulean pupils and Hitomi became unable to glance away from the handsome shinobi's features, her eyes not working at her own will for the first time in her life.

"Wow," was all that Naruto could manage as he cautiously stepped closer to Hitomi.

Unfortunately, this intimate moment was not going unnoticed, against what the two strangers believed.

"I know that voice," Gaara snarled at the sound of the blonde shinobi near his cousin. His voice was nothing more than a low growl that rumbled from his chest, "That shinobi is an Uzumaki!"

The blood haired shinobi's hand twitched in anticipation for a fight. Controlling himself, Gaara remembered the Hokage's earlier decree on the subject of these brawls.

Gaara trained a teal eyed glower on the oblivious ninja; his muscles tightening in self control as the battle within himself raged to the point of full war.

At the end of that glower, Naruto dared to take another step closer to this unknown kunoichi, his fascination with her becoming more and more insatiable. Without breaking eye contact, Hitomi raised a trembling hand to her rose petal lips, her cheek flushing to a soft cherry hue. Naruto clasped her risen hand in his own, his nerves pushing him to be bold.

Both hands were similar; the skin rugged and rough from training and extreme use. Each mark and scar upon Naruto's hand held an extensive story; ever impurity upon Hitomi's hand containing a perilous tale.

But this simple grasp not befitting of such hands—hands that were harmed and had harmed—was a gentle as the dawn morning breath. This touch exemplified the consciousness of what they knew their own hands could accomplish.

Hitomi knew not this stranger's identity—and Naruto knew just as much about her—but neither wanted this moment, this eye contact or this grasp, to be separated.

Hitomi reached upward to remove Naruto's mask as to see his identity for herself; an action Naruto halted with his own hand.

"Excuse my immature hand, I know not how to act in the presence of an angel among such a group of shadowed figures," Naruto mused, bringing Hitomi's hand further away from his disguise. Another grin broke across Hitomi's face as her blush deepened in hue.

"My own hand is just as novice as your own for it is unused to working so softly," Naruto's hand, previously holding back Hitomi's hand, now pressed palm to palm against Hitomi's hand, their finger intertwining.

"You hide you insecurity well," Naruto cooed, "I would have never guessed your touch to be anything but gentle." Hitomi took her own steps closer to Naruto, the space between them lessening swiftly as stars when the sun chooses to rise. "Why do you wish to know my identity so eagerly?" Naruto asked, his lips stretching into a playful smirk. Even though Hitomi's cheeks were florid and flushed, a tiny smirk of her own played at Hitomi's lips.

"Does that mean you do not wish to know of my own identity, Golden Haired Shinobi?"

The duos' foreheads were now placed together, their fascination now to be replaced with each other's eyes. A chuckle escaped from Naruto's lips, brushing Hitomi's cheeks lightly.

"I wish to know everything about you, Dear Angel. But my lips do not wish to talk for so long before they know that you will truly be mine," Naruto replied, tilting his head at such an angle where his lips caressed Hitomi's lips in a kiss light and swift as the flutter of a dove's wings.

Hitomi untangled her hands from Naruto's to instead creep around his neck, their lips kissing again in such more a manner of passion.

Only minutes ago—before either had take one step closer to the other—a shinobi vanished from the room, the fury of a swift river carrying him to alert his kin of an enemy, possibly more than one, that was among their festive guests.

"Uncle," Gaara called, "a young Uzumaki has somehow made himself present at this festival. Please allow me to show him he is not welcome here." Gaara remained with a passive demeanor hoping to find his uncle willing. The man he had spoken to—a man of tall stature and angled features—turned to face his nephew, a hint of anger in his pupils.

"You shall do no such thing!" Lord Taizen rebuked, his nephew's calm façade cracking the slightest bit, "I have heard of no problems from any shinobi at this party. He is not causing any trouble so leave him be Gaara!"

The scarlet haired shinobi's exterior continued to crack further as he attempted to persuade his uncle to be fickle.

"How can you allow your enemy to take enjoyment in your spoils, Uncle! I cannot just let that Uzumaki continue on as if nothing is askew!" Gaara cried, the fury returning to darken his turquoise pupils. Lord Taizen, wishing not to cause any sort of trouble when among his friends, turned to chastise his choleric nephew only to be halted by a light hand placed on his arm.

Lady Taizen gazed at her husband with empathetic eyes before approaching her sister's son.

"Gaara, please do leave the Uzumaki. There are times for fighting and times for peace; now is the latter," Lady Taizen soothed, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder, "Go back and enjoy the party."

Ripping his shoulder from his aunt's grasp roughly, Gaara reluctantly returned to the ballroom—now more tense than before—to find that the two he had been watching had vanished.

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Naruto remained gentle with the precious girl he held in his arms as he pressed her lightly against the stone wall of the vacant room, his lips placed on hers. Hitomi's hands found themselves at the shinobi's golden locks, her fingers massaging his scalp in slow circles.

Hitomi did not even know to what name the shinobi kissing her was called but something about his touch and his kiss was so perfect that common sense became at a loss to her.

Lids of thin flesh, accented by sable lashes, covered each shinobi's eyes as the two's kiss became more instinctual and less conscious. Naruto, feeling his legs grow weak from the sensory overload sparking in his veins, placed his hands on the wall from Hitomi's waist.

The two shinobi paused, their eyes becoming uncovered to gaze at each other. Hitomi's hands remained in Naruto's silken gold locks and Naruto's hands remained at either side of Hitomi's head, his thumbs reaching Hitomi's ebony tresses. Their breath mingled warmly together, brushing past each others' face as they exhaled in soft pants.

Naruto was the first to notice yet the second to blush; Hitomi's cheeks were already deeply flushed because of their closeness. Neither of the two were able to find their lost voices now that they were in their own company and in such tight quarters.

Suddenly, their silent gazes were broken by an intruding voice.

"Naruto! Where are you?" Kiba called, his voice ringing out through the heavy oak doors as he searched for his comrade.

As if he had been nothing but the wind itself, the young shinobi that had been holding her was gone, the oak door swinging in his wake. Hoping to at least find out his name, Hitomi rushed after him, out into the open festival grounds. Hitomi's search only last for a few seconds before she was swept up again by Neji Hyuga.

"Are you feeling better? Come, I wish for us to dance once more," Neji cooed, sweeping Hitomi back into his grasp. If it had been apparent before, it was as brilliant as the sun's rays now as Neji snaked his arm about her waist powerfully: this was the wrong shinobi. Neji's hand holding hers was incorrect, as if it were the wrong combination. But now that her mystery shinobi had found her and shown her the perfect combination, almost any combination would seem off to her.

Hitomi could feel Neji's pearl eyes on her but she ignored them completely as her attention drifted about the room, searching with the last bit of hope she held for her blonde knight.

Hitomi's heart finally fell like an angel without wings when she found that her knight was no longer present.


	3. Act II

**Act II**

Naruto trailed dejectedly behind his obviously drunken friends as they all distanced themselves from the Festival grounds; the veil of woe, now lighter than before, returned to weigh on Naruto's mind. After moving the mask over his face to reside in his hair, Naruto shoved his hands deep into his pockets as the harsh reality that he may never see the angelic kunoichi again hit him like a tidal wave of ice water; Naruto had not even the time to ask the kunoichi's name.

"Aye Naruto!" Kiba hollered, his words slurring together as they left his mouth, "Wha's wrong with you? Are you still mopin' about, wha's 'er name, Sakra?" A laugh echoed from Kiba as he slung his arm about Naruto's shoulders. A melancholy smile graced Naruto's lips as he became a crutch for his stumbling friend.

"No, that name is much a part of the past," Naruto mused, heaving his friend's weight higher on his shoulders as Kiba slid slightly from his grip. Kiba's head turned quickly to stare at Naruto with unfocused eyes, bleary with intoxication.

"What? Did tha' Taizen girl you were snogging take ol' Sakuuurah's place?" Kiba chuckled dully, his vision returning to stare down the dark road. Naruto stared at Kiba with widened eyes as Kiba chuckled lowly. "Yea, I did happen to watch you play a good bit of tonsil hockey but I warn you: stay away from that kunoichi, Naruto." Naruto became more surprised at Kiba's warning tone.

"Why? If I do love her, I would want to be with her through every day and every night." Naruto questioned with a grunt, jerking Kiba's weight up again as Kiba slipped under gravity's influence. Kiba's pupils glazed over and rolled back into his head, revealing the ivory backs of his eyes, his head lolling lazily onto Naruto's shoulder. Naruto shook Kiba for an answer but after a long while, Naruto gave up seeing Kiba's doe eyed expression remain in place. The familiar need to train throughout the rest of the night returned to the blonde suddenly.

A slightly more sober Shikamaru took over Naruto's responsibility of holding Kiba up.

"Where are you going, Naruto?" Shikamaru wondered blearily as he swiveled his head around in an attempt to find Naruto somewhere in his vision.

"I'll catch up with you later," Naruto replied before blurring into the surrounding area.

Hitomi snapped her kunai holster about her ebony clad leg as Kurenai continued to babble on to Hitomi incoherently.

"You and Neji truly are a divine couple Hitomi," Kurenai sighed, finally taking notice of Hitomi's preparations, "Where are you going to?" she asked as Hitomi braided her dark locks away from her face, checking her appearance in the reflective glass.

"I must go and train Kurenai; there is an excitement that flows through my veins, allowing with it no amount of slumber to come my way," Hitomi told her faithful friend as her fingers worked at the latch over her window.

"Whatever you say Hitomi; just return before the dew of early morning is found frosted on all that is nature," Kurenai warned, her voice woven with the consequences if, by that time, Hitomi will have not returned. With a nod, Hitomi finally toggled the latch open and glided her window ajar. Leaping through the frame, Hitomi vacated the room leaving the curtain fluttering as a flag does atop a flag post in the night wind.

As Naruto drew closer to the training grounds, the sounds of another shinobi training grew louder in his sensitive ears. Figuring the shinobi would retire to his home in only a matter of minutes, Naruto ascended the nearest of trees and seated himself somewhere amongst the crowds of thick emerald leaves.

But Naruto assumed wrong as the shinobi trained for much longer than mere minutes as these minutes blended into hours that Naruto was simply contented with watching the shinobi train.

Naruto eventually made out the figure of the shinobi, who had cleverly clad herself in all black so she was almost a section of the starless night herself. He could hear her words, travelling like a breath of wind over the field to his ears, their meaning muddled in the translation. His curiosity was strong; He wished to grow nearer to find what she was saying.

Hitomi could sense the existence of another chakra very close to her, the eerie chill of watching eyes spreading across her skin like a cold autumn wind. Training patiently, Hitomi attempted to focus on her ministrations and completely ignore the icy fingers of paranoia that feathered up and down each vertebrae of her spine and the ache and woe of a lost heart. Eventually she succumbed to her ill focused thoughts and indulged them with her attention.

"Why, oh why cruel heart must you torment me!" she cried, "I have no name, nor face, nor any sort of thought beyond perfection to give you yet you still crack a whip of ache over my body. It is terrible of one's body to hurt itself. How can I appease your ache of loss if I do not even know the full extent of what it is to be filled with love? I cannot bear a life of this, without even knowing the name of the one I love!"

Hitomi broke down, her spirit and soul broken by the weighing thought of living without this love she had met a few mere hours before. "Why did I not just repeal my love's façade? If I only knew a face, a name, any part of him, I could identify what it is I love."

Naruto was stopped where he was. He slid down the callous trunk of the tree, stunned.

"Could it be?" he question of himself, "She does not see me yet I can hear her words; they seem to echo my own. Could it be her? Could she be the angel that holds my dearest heart? She that is more beautiful than any gem, she that is more dearer to me than the waves are to the shore."

Hitomi cried out again, cried out to the deaf dark night, "If only he were here now."

"Hark! I am!" Hitomi jumped at the sudden exclamation, putting up a kunai defensively.

"What is this? Is it you that are my knight?" Hitomi questioned, her suspicion strong and belief wary. How could it have been an Uzumaki that had stolen her heart?

"It is I. I am the one you protest to be your love as I would protest the same. Angel, do you remember me?" Naruto asked her, stepping closer. Recognition spread within her mind swiftly, her knight now standing before her.

"I do remember you, just Knight, and I do protest thee my love; and yet, I cannot truly love thee," Hitomi stated, returning the kunai to its home within her holster. Naruto's face dropped.

"Why is this so?"

"How do I know thy love is true? Love is known to be fickle; one minute, you love me, the next, you love another," Hitomi replied, using all of her might to contain herself.

"I shall prove it to you! I would fight off any enemy, capture the moon and ensnare the sun, all in thy name and in the name of my love for thee," Naruto replied, determination burning in his very soul.

"Perhaps this is all too fast," Hitomi protested, the words stinging with every syllable.

"How can I prove it?" Naruto repeated, taking Hitomi's hand into his own. Rouge fell cross her cheeks, sudden heat permeating her face. "I love you," Naruto admitted, his eyes gleaming with such honesty and affection. Hitomi suddenly felt weak, this sudden statement surprising her.

"I love you too, but there must be something more concrete than water love and sand affection."

"Then let us concrete our love in marriage," Naruto stated, pulling Hitomi closer to his warm chest. Hitomi let him pull her in, the invitation too much to resist. Her heart beat within her throat, as if seeing Naruto anew.

"Then let us be wed," she replied with infinite happiness, pressing her lips against Naruto's ever so lightly. A soft glow began to fill the sky, a sign for Hitomi to return home. "I must go," she stated woefully.

"When shall I see you again?" Naruto pleaded.

"Tomorrow; before middle day has arrived," Hitomi replied, chuckling at Naruto's sudden worry and despair. With one last kiss, the two lovers parted.

Naruto could not contain himself as, on cupid's wings, he flew through the city. Reaching a small chapel, Naruto glanced up with that awe of a sinner, at the steeple. The Keeper of the Chapel stood nearby, searching for rare roots and lush leaves. Glancing at the young man, Kakashi greeted him warmly, offering him into the church.

Naruto shook his head, excitement in his voice. "I cannot stay for long for I am so deep in love," Naruto sighed.

"With Sakura? Of this, I have heard much," the man mused, continuing to pull at the tender foliage before him.

"Not Sakura. She is much a flea, insignificant in comparison to my love, the fair Hitomi Taizen," Naruto replied, his glee overwhelming each phrase. Skepticism lined Kakashi's worn eyes, lines creasing his brow.

"Your love is fast to sprout once moved, I see. Do you truly love this girl, still new in your eyes and heart?" Kakashi questioned. Naruto pleaded with the calm nin.

"How much I love her! My love is as indescribable as the perfection of her cheek, resting upon her lithe hand and as eternal as the sands of time, as empty as full," Naruto could not help thinking of her, "which is why I have a favor to ask of you."

"What is it that you need?" Kakashi asked, finally plucking a leaf off a vine.

"I need you to marry us, tonight," Naruto stated, again failing at hiding his exhilaration. Kakashi sighed at the young lover, his mind and heart so tender and naïve.

"I shall," he replied, "Perhaps the union between you, an Uzumaki, and she, a Taizen, will mediate the tension felt between your two families."

And with that, the Uzumaki darted off, in search of his Taizen.

"Where could he be?" Shikamaru sighed, keeping his eyes alerted for the blonde ninja.

"Who cares? Not I. He must not want to be found," Kiba mused, "Perhaps he found his dear Sakura."

"Uh…"

"What an insane bitch. Truly, she is the tormenting devil, sent to taunt and tantalize poor romantics like little Naruto," Kiba jibed, a smirk crossing his face.

"I hope we find him before Tybalt does," Shikamaru stated, not truly hearing what his companion had said. Kiba sighed,

"What does Tybalt want with our little Naruto."

"A duel, apparently."

"What?" Kiba laughed, "Are you serious? Naruto has already fought and lost a battle with confounding love. Impotent and defeated, he is left without a chance of another fight."

"A bit harsh, wouldn't you think?" Shikamaru commented.

"No," he stated directly, "Tybalt is quite the swordsman, a true figure to fight. Our romantic Naruto would be nearly killed instantly. Though I must say, Tybalt is one very irritable swordsman, making him intensely rash and stupid."

As if on cue, Naruto suddenly appeared.

"Where have you been?" Shikamaru questioned before Kiba interrupted.

"Yeah, how could you leave us last night?" he accused.

"I had to," Naruto replied, "I was in a great need."

"I don't want to hear about that, cur. Control yourself a bit," Kiba replied, a smirk crossing his face once again.

"It is not I who is in need of that," Naruto bantered. At this Kiba, came nose to nose with Naruto, playfully fighting with his friend.

"Oh but from what has been said, Sakura is quite the tease. The woman, more fair that Aphrodite herself, is the devil in disguise, taunting to rise and then finding modesty as if a blushing nun." Naruto accepted this challenge.

"Says one without rise at all, like a tamed monk," Naruto quipped. Kiba narrowed his eyes, a grin across his face.

"A monk is chaste by choice, not so with some," Kiba taunted. As Naruto began his next taunt, Kurenai suddenly tapped Shikamaru on the shoulder.

"Do any of you know a Naruto and where I might find him?"

"I am he you ask for," Naruto replied, stepping towards the nurse.

"Oh, who is she?" Kiba asked, his tone less than dignified.

"Get to the house; I shall join you soon," Naruto ordered, his voice serious. Shikamaru tugged on Kiba's arm, pulling him away. Kiba followed slowly, watching Naruto and Kurenai before he fell out of sight.

"I have come to find you as my mistress says that she is in love. I tell you: break her heart and I will rip yours out," she threatened, "I hope you are not attempting to lead her astray."

"Pray, I wish no such thing. In fact, the opposite; I hope to wed my dear Hitomi tonight. Tell her to find a way to Kakashi's cell; there we shall be wed," Naruto informed, his voice in hushed tones. Kurenai trained her eyes upon the shinobi, her stare intense and searching for any sign of counterfeit. Upon finding none, she agreed, sweeping away to the Taizen home.

Hitomi waited at the window, hoping her nurse would soon return. With every movement outside, Hitomi's heart jumped, his pulse hastening. Finally, Kurenai did return.

"What is the news?" Hitomi questioned, her anxiety apparent in her voice.

"I shall tell you soon," Kurenai stated, catching her breath, "It has been quite a search for your Naruto and he was not easy to find."

"Kurenai, I must know!" Hitomi urged, gripping her nurse's arm with impatience.

"Calm yourself, Hitomi. Upon finding your love, he said that your marriage would be performed in the cell of Kakashi." Hitomi jumped with exhilaration, her hands fusing about her closet for something to wear.

"Oh, tis the eve of my wedding, Kurenai!" Hitomi giggled, grasping her nurse's hands within her own. Kurenai laughed at Hitomi,

"Silly girl! Stand still so you can be dress appropriately," Kurenai urged. Kurenai moved calmly about the room, pulling clothes from different places. Placing a dress upon her body and a veil upon her head, Kurenai looked over the girl who was now becoming a woman. "How grown up you are," she stated. Hitomi laughed at her reminiscent nurse.

"I must go! I wouldn't want to be late for my own wedding!" And with that, Hitomi was gone.

Naruto was standing with Kakashi, watching as his bride glided up the isle towards him. Their eyes were only for each other as Kakashi stated their vows, marrying the two young lovers.

"To love each other forever and ever," Naruto said.

"Til' death do us part," Hitomi replied.

"I do," the pair stated, consecrating their marriage. Naruto lifted Hitomi's veil, kissing for the first time as husband and wife.

And with that, their lives begin.

**Hitomi, other OCs, this story © Midnight Writer**

**Naruto and other characters © Misashi Kishimoto **


End file.
